Events

Discover the energy of Soviet film and rock ’n’ roll! Join us for an exciting afternoon exploring how cinema and underground music once united cultures across Asia. Through film, discussion, and the presence of key figures who shaped this history, you’ll experience the story of The Needle: one of the most iconic films of the late Soviet era.

Part of Asia Week, organised by the Kyushu University Institute for Asian and Oceanian Studies (Q-AOS), the event “Soviet Film: Connecting Asia through the Work of Viktor Tsoi” delves into the world of Soviet cinema, counterculture, and music, and the unexpected ways these creative movements connected with Japan and other parts of Asia. The afternoon will feature lectures, roundtable talks, and a film screening.

Our special guests include Rachid Nougmanov, the Kazakh film director and screenwriter of The Needle, former General Director of the Eurasia International Film Festival, and Chevalier of France’s Ordre des Arts et des Lettres; Kiki Miyake, producer and former Amuse Inc. representative who acquired the rights for the exhibition of foreign films like Pulp Fiction and The Needle in Japan, and managed international tours for artists such as YMO; and Joanna Stingray, joining online, the American musician, producer, and writer who brought Soviet rock to Western audiences.

Professors from Kyushu University, Chuo Gakuin University, and the University of Ljubljana will also give short lectures, offering insights into the cultural exchanges between Japan and the USSR and the importance of art during the late Soviet period.

The event will conclude with an exclusive screening of The Needle, starring Soviet rock legend Viktor Tsoi, followed by a Q&A session with the director and guests. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see a cult classic and meet the people behind it!

• 11/8 (Sat.)
• 13:00~18:00 (Doors open at 12:30)
• Free entry
• In English (with Japanese support). Film will be screened with Russian audio, and English/Japanese subtitles.
• Kyushu University, Ohashi Campus, Design Commons
• 4-9 Shiobaru, Minami-ku, Fukuoka
• More information and registration
• More information about Asia Week